Screeching Sliver MTG Card


Screeching Sliver provides card advantage, enabling strategic gains within a Sliver-centric deck. Requiring black mana and a card discard for its ability may restrict deck versatility and maintain card count. While having a high mana cost, its inclusion can disrupt opponents’ strategies and influence the meta.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Sliver
Abilities Mill
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

All Slivers have ": Target player puts the top card of his or her library into his or her graveyard."

"What wears down my people most, I think, is not the danger, but the endless screeching outside our camp." —Merrik Aidar, Benalish patrol


Cards like Screeching Sliver

Screeching Sliver finds its tribe with other Slivers in Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique communal advantage characteristic of this creature type. Like its kin, Muscle Sliver and Predatory Sliver, which boost the power of all Slivers, Screeching Sliver contributes to the collective by granting all Slivers the ability to mill cards from an opponent’s library.

It’s akin to Mesmeric Sliver, which also facilitates milling but does so upon combat damage, thus being somewhat more situational. Screeching Sliver allows this milling to occur at will, as a tap ability, potentially providing a more consistent milling tactic without the need for combat. However, unlike Mesmeric Sliver, Screeching Sliver does not provide any power or toughness boost to itself or other Slivers.

In strategic terms, Screeching Sliver can synergize well with Sliver cards that allow for multiple activations, such as Gemhide Sliver or Manaweft Sliver, which provide Slivers with mana generation capabilities. Thus, while Screeching Sliver might not add immediate board presence like some of its counterparts, its utility in a dedicated Sliver tribal deck can be a compelling reason for inclusion, especially if mill is part of the deck’s strategic plan.

Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Predatory Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mesmeric Sliver - MTG Card versions
Gemhide Sliver - MTG Card versions
Manaweft Sliver - MTG Card versions
Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Predatory Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mesmeric Sliver - MTG Card versions
Gemhide Sliver - MTG Card versions
Manaweft Sliver - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Screeching Sliver by color, type and mana cost

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Flying Men - MTG Card versions
Shrieking Drake - MTG Card versions
Cloud Pirates - MTG Card versions
Fledgling Osprey - MTG Card versions
Manta Riders - MTG Card versions
Faerie Squadron - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Fugitive Wizard - MTG Card versions
Wandering Ones - MTG Card versions
Dreamcatcher - MTG Card versions
Drifter il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Sage of Epityr - MTG Card versions
Timebender - MTG Card versions
Cloud Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merrow Witsniper - MTG Card versions
Cursecatcher - MTG Card versions
Martyr of Frost - MTG Card versions
Grixis Illusionist - MTG Card versions
Enclave Cryptologist - MTG Card versions
Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Flying Men - MTG Card versions
Shrieking Drake - MTG Card versions
Cloud Pirates - MTG Card versions
Fledgling Osprey - MTG Card versions
Manta Riders - MTG Card versions
Faerie Squadron - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Fugitive Wizard - MTG Card versions
Wandering Ones - MTG Card versions
Dreamcatcher - MTG Card versions
Drifter il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Sage of Epityr - MTG Card versions
Timebender - MTG Card versions
Cloud Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merrow Witsniper - MTG Card versions
Cursecatcher - MTG Card versions
Martyr of Frost - MTG Card versions
Grixis Illusionist - MTG Card versions
Enclave Cryptologist - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Screeching Sliver provides a steady flow of card advantage in a Sliver deck. By using its ability to tap and create several Slivers to draw cards, it enhances hand options and advances game strategy.

Resource Acceleration: In the rich ecosystem of Slivers, this card can be pivotal. As each Sliver gains its ability, you can tap unused Slivers for an effect, effectively accelerating your resource pool and giving more opportunities for board development.

Instant Speed: Its tribal synergy allows for dynamic play. The tap ability of Screeching Sliver operates at instant speed, permitting strategic plays during an opposing turn and optimizing the element of surprise, a quintessential aspect for maintaining control during matches.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Screeching Sliver demands a card be discarded whenever its ability is activated. For players aiming to maintain card advantage, this can be a setback, especially when the hand is dwindling and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires black mana to activate its ability. This cost can hinder seamless integration into multi-color Sliver decks that might not have sufficient access to black mana or prefer to focus their mana base on other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial mana investment to get Screeching Sliver onto the battlefield is substantial compared to other Slivers. While its ability is useful, the setup cost and ongoing activation expenses may not provide the efficiency competitive players seek when building a cohesive Sliver strategy.


Reasons to Include Screeching Sliver in Your Collection

Versatility: Screeching Sliver grants powerful utility across various MTG decks thanks to its ability to give all Slivers the tap ability to mill the opponent’s library. This adaptability can disrupt numerous strategies, making it a versatile tool in your arsenal.

Combo Potential: The milling ability of Screeching Sliver shines when combined with other Slivers that boost its speed or alter the battlefield in your favor. It also ramps up the potency of decks focused on library depletion and combo finishes, paving the way for various synergistic plays.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape periodically shifts, a card like Screeching Sliver can gain prominence, especially in metas where mill strategies are effective against prevalent deck types. Its presence can apply consistent pressure and force opponents to adapt their strategies accordingly.


How to beat

Screeching Sliver presents a unique challenge as part of the Sliver tribe in Magic: The Gathering. This particular card allows Slivers to tap and essentially function as channeled sources of mill, wearing down an opponent’s deck card by card. To effectively counter Screeching Sliver, it’s crucial to disrupt the synergy within the Sliver strategy. Aiming removal spells at the Sliver creatures themselves, especially those that provide the most advantageous abilities like Screeching Sliver, can dismantle the tribal links that make Slivers such a cohesive and formidable force on the battlefield.

Another strategy is employing graveyard shuffling effects with cards like Gaea’s Blessing or Elixir of Immortality to nullify the milling impact of Screeching Sliver. Additionally, cards that grant shroud or hexproof to your library, such as Ground Seal, prove highly effective in neutralizing mill strategies. Turning the tables on the mill plan by running counterspells or creature-focused disruption like Rapid Hybridization to transform Screeching Sliver into a less threatening form can tip the scales in your favor. Ultimately, targeting the enablers and utilising protective measures against mill tactics can ensure your deck withstands the Screeching Sliver onslaught.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Screeching Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Secret Lair Drop, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Screeching Sliver and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Screeching Sliver Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by Stuart Griffin.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 752003NormalBlackStuart Griffin
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6222015NormalBlackStuart Griffin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Screeching Sliver has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Screeching Sliver card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2013-07-01 Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
2013-07-01 If the creature type of a Sliver changes so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures.